The British Ambassador to Baghdad, Stephen Hitchcock, expressed his optimism on Sunday about the future of Mosul and Iraq as a whole, expecting Iraq to be a source of electricity and a hub for trade in the Middle East.
The British Ambassador to Iraq confirmed in a press conference attended by Shafaq News Agency from inside the University of Mosul that he is “optimistic about the future of the city of Mosul and Iraq despite the challenges remaining since the liberation of the provinces from the terrorist organization.”
He added, “The roots of stability in the country have deepened, and the last two years have been better than the previous ones,” adding that “the city of Mosul is an example of challenges, tolerance and coexistence, and it is a miniature Iraq.”
Hitchen added, “But what Mosul needs is economic recovery in order to get on the right track,” while expressing his regret at the same time for “the migration of many Christians because of the events that took place.”
The British Ambassador confirmed that there is a “plan by Nineveh Governorate and the federal government to recover the affected areas,” noting that “Mosul deserves to be saved as it is a civilized and ancient historical city at a time when the United Kingdom was lost.”
Regarding the future vision for Iraq, Hitchen said during the conference, “There is a vision for Iraq after 2040 and the challenges it faces, whether in terms of population growth or oil prices, and in 2040 Iraq may enjoy independence.”
He continued by saying, “Iraq in 2040 may return to its intellectual position in the Arab world, and it may enjoy complete independence, and be a source of electricity,” noting that “the development road project will be a hub for trade in the Middle East.”
Regarding the presence of the international coalition, the British ambassador said, “There will be negotiations after the end of the international coalition in Iraq.”
Regarding the security level in Iraq and the regional situation, Hitchen said, “There are complications and agendas, and the situation needs time to reach a solution,” stressing that “there are problems at the regional level that may have repercussions on Iraq, and that there are foreign interferences in the country’s politics, and that the United Kingdom has a diplomatic position on this matter.”
The ambassador stressed the “necessity of the return of the displaced Yazidis to their areas in Sinjar, and working on its reconstruction, as Nineveh Governorate is characterized by social diversity and components, so a plan must be drawn up that makes everyone in a comfortable and safe situation away from the militias spread in some parts of the governorate.”
Hitchen concluded his speech by saying, “Sinjar, despite its small size, contains local and regional agendas that terrorize the return of the local population, and the situation needs a solution to stabilize the region.”
shafaq.com
